Watching over Me
by Hikari3
Summary: What happens when Tifa finds a certain someone in Nibelheim? Sephiroth and Tifa! 3rd chapter up! Will Hojo loose his job?! If you review I'll give you mastered Materia ^_^
1. Mysterious man

Watching over Me  
  
By: Hikari  
  
  
  
A beautiful brown haired woman walked out of her small but lovely kitchen while managing  
to carry a load of junk food with her. She plopped down onto a couch and sat next to the  
blonde haired man who just stared at the glow of the TV.  
  
"Cloud?" Tifa began. No answer. She poked him. Nothing. "Cloud?"  
  
Without even turning to look at her, he snatched a huge portion of the junk food from him.  
Tifa just rolled her eyes and the rolling of her eyes were followed by a long an annoyed  
sigh.  
  
He's always like this whenever a movie comes on, Tifa thought. She tried hard to think  
Of something that would keep him from ignoring her. The time caught her eye. 12:03AM.  
  
"So, um...its Friday the 13th.....in December....not October." Tifa said and smiled to herself  
When Cloud turned to her. He then began going on and on about things not to do on  
Friday the 13th.  
  
Suddenly there was a big crash heard outside. Tifa jumped up. She instinctively reached  
for her gloves and put them on. Cloud took one of Tifa's hands.  
  
"Tifa....take the gloves off." Cloud said calmly. Tifa held her hands together.  
  
"CLOUD!" Tifa started. "Didn't you hear that?"  
  
The blonde shook his head and sighed. Then Tifa turned off the TV and Cloud turned his   
Attention back to Tifa.  
  
'Oh, he just pays attention when the TV is off?' Tifa thought to herself.  
  
"You're just paranoid. No more horror movies for you, young lady." Cloud said. Tifa laughed   
a little as Cloud walked upstairs. Tifa followed soon after still holding her gloved hands.  
  
*****  
  
A dark figure walked by the home of Tifa and Cloud. He sighed and then began taking   
quick breaths while clutching his badly injured arm.  
  
"Damn..." He muttered.  
  
He tried to keep his balance while standing but was horribly failing. The man was practically   
soaking in his own blood. He finally gave up and collapsed into the backyard of the home.  
  
*****  
  
Tifa sprung up from her nightmare and and looked around. She moved the blanket away  
from her and looked at her hands.  
  
Good, she thought. I've got my gloves on. Maybe Cloud IS right. I'm getting a little paranoid...  
But this is weird. You don't normally hear a loud crash in Nibelheim.  
  
Tifa ran her hands through her hair and sighed. She got up and went to the window. She stayed  
there looking at those amazing white specks in the sky which was the sky for quite some time.  
  
Then she heard another loud crash coming from the backyard. Her ruby eyes widened in fear.  
She jumped out of her bed and rushed over to where Cloud was sleeping.  
  
When she arrived in his room she tried to close the door as quietly as she could. Then she  
walked over to the window where she had a lovely view of the rest of the town and  
the backyard.  
  
Her eyes widened again when she saw a dark figure lying next to the house. She turned around  
rubbed her eyes a bit an turned back. She wasn't imagining it! Then the phone began to ring.  
She turned around and saw it was Cloud's cell phone.  
  
Cloud got up and looked at Tifa. She just waved nervously.  
  
"CLOUD! There's a bloody man in the backyard!" Tifa screamed and pointed. She waited for   
Cloud to do something but he looked at her for a little bit then answered the phone.  
  
"Hello?" He asked. Yuffie?! What could she want, Cloud wondered.  
  
"There's an emergency, Cloud!" Yuffie said. She sounded like she would burst into tears at any  
Minute.  
  
"What happened?" Cloud said trying to be calm. Yuffie wasn't doing so well with staying calm she  
Just kept yelling at Cloud.  
  
"Get over here! Please...We're in Rocket Town." Yuffie begged. Cloud sighed. He wasn't going  
To win this. Yuffie would eventually get him to come. Plus, she's wasting all of his minutes.  
  
"I'll be right over." Cloud said. He ended the call and turned back to Tifa. He arched a brow.  
  
"Um, I-i-" Tifa stuttered. Cloud put on his 'is-something-wrong' face. Tifa just shook her head.  
Cloud would go mad if she told him. Plus, she was totally unsure of what to do.  
  
"Well, anyways, Yuffie says there's an emergency in Rocket Town...So I'm gonna go. It that  
all right with you, Tifa?" Cloud asked. Tifa nodded quickly. Cloud was about to say something  
then decided not to.  
  
He got out of his bed and began to get dressed. Tifa let out a sigh and walked downstairs.  
She went over to the back door and turned the knob slightly. She could see clearly who was  
down there. She couldn't really tell who it was due to all of the blood.  
  
"Tifa?" A voice called. The brunette spun around and saw Cloud. She gasped and shut the door.  
  
"I'm gonna go now. I'll be back in about 2 hours." Cloud said and picked up his sword. Tifa nodded  
Very quickly. Cloud raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Something wrong?" He asked. Tifa sighed and nodded. Cloud took a seat and waited for her to  
Talk.  
  
"There's someone-!" Tifa stopped. What would she say? Cloud, there's a bloody man in our backyard?  
I told him before and he thought I was insane!  
  
"Cloud...I'm...a neat-freak!" I shouted. Then I covered my face with my hands and sat down.  
I didn't have to look up to see Cloud blinking. I knew he was.  
  
A neat-freak? What's wrong with that? That can't be what's wrong. She's hiding something from  
Me. It could've just been a bad dream or something. She was saying something about  
a bloody man...  
  
"There's nothing wrong with being a neat freak, Tifa." Cloud said. Tifa looked up and nodded.  
  
"I've been dying to get that off my chest." Tifa bit her lip after that lie. "Um, you should be  
going now."  
  
Cloud got up and nodded. Then he picked up his sword and he was off. Tifa sighed and got  
some tea. She walked over to get some tea out then stopped.  
  
What the hell is wrong with me!?, Tifa asked herself. There's a bloody man in my backyard and I'm  
About to drink tea?! She sighed and rushed to the back door. Her eyes widened and she took a step  
Back.  
  
"...?!"  
__________________  
THE END! Kidding! I'm not gonna end it just like that! Um, let me know what you think.  
No flames please! It took me a lot to get this up.  
  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Squaresoft. 


	2. Beginings

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Squaresoft! I don't know why anyone would think I did but I just keep this  
up here to keep me from being sued ^_^  
  
  
  
"Where is he?!" Hojo paced around his lab.   
A black haired scientist was watching him with a smirk on her face. She had her hair loose had an   
ordanairy lab coat on. She was wearing a black skirt about the same lenth as Tifa's and a black   
shirt to match. She was also wearing Scarlet like black high-heels.  
  
"What's so funny?!" He stopped and turned.  
  
"Nothing, Professor." She said and turned back to her work.  
  
'She probably did something, I know it!' Hojo thought. 'Hmph, they all think I'm insane....I'll show them..'  
Hojo glared at the other scientist before going back to his work. 'What could she have done....?'  
  
"You told him to get Specimen-C...didn't you?" Hojo asked angerily.  
  
The woman nodded quickly. Too quickly....  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!?" Hojo shouted so loud everyone on the first floor would have heard him.  
The woman just blinked.  
  
"Oh, I just told him what you told me to say, sir." She said and exited the room, making clanking noises with  
her shoes which made Hojo cringe.  
  
***  
  
"Sir, the man is insane!" The scientist who has just spoken to Hojo said.  
  
Rufus thought for a moment. Lots of people ran into his office telling him Hojo was insane. He belived this  
himself. Hojo reminded him of the mad scientists from horror movies. But he had never seen Hojo act  
insane.  
  
"Well, Akimi if you can show me he's insane I may be able to send him to a mental facility." Rufus said.  
  
"R-really, sir?!" Akimi asked, which joy written all over her face  
  
Rufus raised a brow then nodded. 'Guess she wants to get rid of him...But don't we all?' Rufus thought.  
  
"Excuse me, I understand there's a new project in the Lab. What's it about?" Rufus asked.  
  
The black haired scientist began to think. There are so many projects Hojo had been trying to do at once. He's  
probably talking about the Materia Project, Akemi thought.  
  
"The Materia Project, sir?" Akimi began. Rufus gave a quick nod. "Well, we've gotten the idea of combining Materia-"  
  
"-How so?" Rufus interupted.  
  
"Um, we'll be slicing Materia into two peices and putting it together with a sliced materia of another type. The slices  
of materia should try to grow back...That would cause the two slices of materia to grow together.  
It could result in more powerful materia or new magic..." Akemi took a couple of breaths after finishing.  
  
"Have you tested this out?" Rufus asked.  
  
The woman nodded. "We tested this out with the Ice materia and Shiva materia. The power of Shiva seemed  
to increase by 5 times. We think it might have become Mastered too. Well Hojo tested it without me so I don't really-."  
  
"-Interesting." Rufus thought outloud. He had just thought of something. But he would need some very special  
materia for the job...  
  
***  
  
Tifa was in shock. Here he was. The man who had taken everything from her. Her hometown, her dearest friend,  
her father...What should she do? Leave him? Help him? Tifa shook her head.  
  
'I may hate him but...I'm not heartless' She thought. Then she brought Sephiroth inside and put him in her room.  
  
What would he do when he woke up? Kill her? She shudered at the thought. Where's Cloud? She turned to the  
clock. Its been an hour. He should be there by now. I wonder what the emergency is...  
  
***  
  
"Shera get the goddamned door!" Cid shouted as he was about to light a cigerette. Shera walked up to him  
and smacked him on the back of his head, causing him to drop the cigerette.  
  
"Cid, no cursing when we have friends over." Shera said calmy and walked over to answer the door.  
  
"Aw, they ain't friends Shera. They're ******* jackasses!" Cid shouted. Shera smacked him on the back of the  
head once more while Yuffie laughed a little.  
  
"I'll get the door for you." Yuffie said and walked over to the door. She opened it quickly. FINALLY! Yuffie thought.  
Cloud got the snow off of him before he stepped into the house.  
  
"I'm here...What's the emergency?" Cloud asked. Yuffie walked up to him.  
  
"Cloud...um, our materia got stolen..." Yuffie said blushing. Cloud smiled. So the materia theif's materia has been  
stolen by a materia theif, eh? Yuffie knew exactly what Cloud was thinking and turned around.  
  
'Well, this is interesting.' Cloud thought. He was more interested in learning why Shera was smacking Cid.  
  
"OKAY! I'll stop cursin'. Ya happy now?!" Cid shouted as he rubbed the back of his poor, kind of swollen head.  
Shera smiled and nodded.  
  
Cloud took a seat on the couch and began to think. Who would try to steal materia from Yuffie?...How could Yuffie  
not notice? He just sighed. His thoughts were interupted when a commerical came on. It was a "Got Mako?" commercial.  
At the end it showed Midgar or Neo-Midgar...  
  
"MIDGAR?!" Cloud jumped off of the couch and stared at the TV. Midgar's been rebuilt? That means...ShinRa is  
back? They're sucking mako out of the planet again?!  
  
***  
  
Tifa was begining to get worried. Cloud said he'd be back in two hours. Its been 5 hours. What's going on?  
Hmm, since Yuffie's in Rocket Town she's probably calling from Cid's house. Maybe I should-No I can't go.  
I can't leave Sephiroth here. Who knows what he might do. He might burn the town...again...  
  
Tifa sighed and went back to taking care of Sephiroth. She had gotten rid of most of the blood. But he didn't  
have any cuts on him. There was no way he could have been bleeding. Unless he tried to ki- Tifa stopped  
her thoughts right there. A chill ran down her spine.  
  
The general seemed to have a painful look on his face while sleeping. Tifa couldn't help but feel sad for him.  
What's he dreaming about, Tifa wondered. Dosen't look like such a nice dream...  
  
Tifa's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when she heard Sephiroth mumble something about Materia and Hojo.  
She calmed down a little but decided to keep a close eye on him.  
  
Sephiroth had awoken not more than 20 minutes ago. He looked at her with those amazing mako eyes for  
a brief moment and closed them and went back to sleep. For a moment Tifa thought he died but then checked  
for a pulse. He was breathing but it was a faint heartbeat.  
  
But in-case he somehow got better she might be able to go. She might as well get her materia set-up. She   
walked into her room where Sephiroth was sleeping. I opened a drawer on the left side of my room and   
pulled out a box of materia. I got everything set up. I pulled out materia that was very special. The black   
materia. I grabbed my jacket and stuffed it in there.  
  
"Hello."  
  
Tifa screamed and spun around. It was Sephiroth. Is he okay now? He looks like it to me but you never  
know if something's wrong.   
  
"Um. Hi." Tifa said catiously.  
  
Tifa watched him from then on. He eventually fell asleep. Tifa watched him the entire time.   
'He looks so adorable when he's asleep.' Tifa thought. 'Shut up, Tifa! SHUT UP, SHUT UP! Stop staring at him!'  
  
Tifa blushed and turned around. Sure, she had a crush on him when he first came to Nibelheim but he  
killed her father and burned her town! He also gave her a nice slash on her chest. How did Sephiroth get  
so bloody? He must've encountered some powerful monster or something.  
  
Tifa must've fallen asleep because when Sephiroth woke up he went for the door. When he placed his gloved  
hand onto the door knob Tifa awoke and turned around.  
  
"I'll be leaving now. But thank you for saving me, Ms.Lockhart." Sephiroth said. But then something hit him.   
His plan. Not really his plan. It was Hojo's plan and unfortunatly he had to put up with him, for now.  
  
'Huh?' Tifa thought. He's just gonna leave? Is he well enough to leave? Wait a minute. Is he being polite?  
It's sort of like he's being the Sephiroth she first met in Nibelheim.  
  
"Wait." Tifa began. "Um, do you remember what happened to you? You were practically soaking in blood..."  
  
From what Tifa learned Sephiroth must have lost some of his memories. Well, he called her 'Ms.Lockhart'  
that means he remembers her. Or her last name at least. Nah, he's probably got most of his memories.  
  
"Well, since your okay I guess I can go to Rocket Town." Tifa said. "Um, ARE YOU okay, now?"  
Sephiroth nodded and turned to leave. Tifa ran over to the door and blocked his exit.  
  
"You healed pretty fast." Tifa said.  
  
"I'm a quick healer." Sephiroth replied quickly.  
  
"Where are you gonna go?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Why do you want to know?" He asked.  
  
"Why don't you answer the question?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Why do you keep answering my questions with questions?" Tifa asked.  
  
Sephiroth decided to just give up. A thought entered his mind. Why did Tifa want to know? It was really none   
of her buisness. But it would be, from hearing what Hojo's assistant said.  
  
"I'm going to Rocket Town." Sephiroth said blankly, knowing very well Tifa was heading there.  
  
Tifa just stood there. She didn't want to go through Mt.Nibel alone. She would have to go since Cloud had  
taken the Chochobo with him.  
  
"Can I go with you?" Tifa blurted out. She then looked down and skid her foot across the ground.  
  
Sephiroth just stood there and blinked.  
  
"Why?" He asked.  
  
"I just don't want to go through Mt.Nibel alone. I think I don't need to say why..." Tifa said flatly.   
  
Sephiroth nodded.  
  
"Can you wait here for a minute?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Tifa dashed upstairs. She really wanted to bring a jacket with her. She opened her closet and pulled  
out a black jacket. Tifa thought of something. Could she trust Sephiroth? She didn't know the answer  
to that. He seems like he'd changed. Maybe she could. Maybe. She fixed up her hair, noticing how frizzy  
it looked. Then she threw on her jacket and rushed downstairs, almost tripping the entrie way down which  
left Sephiroth with an amused look on his face.  
  
"Okay, I'm back." She said, trying to catch her breath. She could just see Sephiroth staring.  
  
"What!?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
So now they began their journey through Mt.Nibel. Both of them were quiet during the trip through it. They   
hadn't encountered any monsters till the crossed that evil bridge.  
  
'Wow, they hadn't encountered a monster up till now' Tifa thought and got ready for battle but Sephiroth beat   
her to the monster. It only took him one slash with the Masamune to get rid of it. His speed made Tifa's seem like   
that of a Turtle. She frowned a little and continued.  
  
The two fighters walked on it seemed like forever to Tifa but Sephiroth didn't seem to care much. If they ever   
had a conversation Tifa would have been the one starting them.  
  
"There it is." Tifa pointed, breaking the silence. "So, Sephiroth, what are you gonna do in Rocket Town?"  
  
Sephiroth almost choked. What was he going to do in Rocket Town? Carry out Hojo's plans?  
  
"I-i I need to do something there." That was all Sephiroth said. Tifa got the feeling he was lying. Since when   
did the Great Sephiroth stutter? She decided to keep quiet about it, for now.  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Tifa began.  
  
"You just did." Sephiroth said in a matter of fact tone.  
  
"Then can I ask you TWO things?" Tifa asked.  
  
Sephiroth nodded.  
  
"What EXACTLY do you need to do in Rocket Town?" Tifa asked.  
  
"I just feel like going there." He said and walked faster.  
  
"You're lying!" Tifa stopped and shouted.  
  
"I just feel like going there! It does not concern destroying the planet if thats what you were thinking!" Sephiroth shouted.  
  
Tifa mentally kicked herself. 'Nice going, Tifa. Yeah, just go and make sure you bug everyone. Maybe Cloud left to  
just get away from me... I can be a little annoying at times. But it's nothing to get angry about.'  
  
Tifa thought for a moment. Her mouth ajar, it soon turned into a sly smile. Sephiroth turned to her and had a  
confused look on his face.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"Nothing. I just wanted to smile like that." Tifa said and turned around.  
  
Sephiroth stared at her for a minute. "You're a very unusual woman, Ms.Lockhart."  
  
"Just call me Tifa, okay?" Tifa exasperated. "And what do you mean unusual?"  
"It's nothing. Why exactly did you want to come to Rocket Town, Tifa?" Sephiroth asked.  
  
The 'lively' conversation was interupted when Tifa heard something. She instantly spun around and looked in sheer terror.  
Tifa looked up at what was supposed to be Rocket Town. At first her heart almost stopped. Her beautiful ruby eyes began to   
narrow slowly. She saw a ShinRa helicoptor leaving the burning Rocket Town. She just stood there looking at the flames,   
ignoring everything around her.  
  
It was like watching Nibelheim buring down. Something hit her. Cloud, Cid, Yuffie, Shera. They were all in there. Did they...?  
No. No. No. No. No. They're all smart enough to escape, but still...  
  
"Tifa?" Sephiroth asked.  
  
"It's gone." Tifa said grimly.  
  
***  
  
Ah! I'm SO sorry there isn't much romance in this chapter! But it's JUST the second chapter, okay?  
The next chapter won't have much either, sorry! We cannot rush things...can we?  
Um, thanks Hikaru-Chan for helping me find the name Akemi ^_^ 


	3. Rising Darkness

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. I don't own FF7 or Squaresoft. I don't own anything so don't sue me! I'll give  
you the Black Materia! 0_o  
  
***  
  
"Hello! Excuse me!" Akemi shouted.  
  
Hojo groaned and almost broke his cemicals.  
  
"WHAT?!" He shouted.  
  
Akemi waited around for a while longer trying to bug the Professor even more than he already was.  
She was clearly trying to make him act insane, probably to get Rufus and show him an insane Hojo.  
Hojo took out a needle with green fluid inside which was full of Mako and shoved it into her face.  
  
"What?!" He repeated.  
  
She sighed. "The President would like it if we used some special materia for this project."  
  
"Such as?" Hojo asked.  
  
"He wants us to combine the 001 Materia with 002 Materia..." She said. She was also using the   
code names for the Materia to shake off any spies that may be listening, probably members of  
ALALANCHE.  
  
Hojo almost choked. 'Two of the most dangerous materia ever created...combined? What a splendid thought'  
'Too bad we don't have the Black or White Materia! How does Rufus expect me to find it if I don't have a clue'  
'as to where the Materia is located. Well, I know where the White Materia is...And it's much easier to find...'  
  
He turned and saw Akemi working with some other Materia. He looked closer. Revive and Phoenix...  
...What's she up to? The Revive materia instantly attatched itself to Phoenix Materia. What's she trying  
to do? Revive the dead?!  
  
She stood up while holding the Materia and began to turn to the direction of the door. She began walking   
walking but almost tripped and lost her balance when Hojo began shouted.  
  
"Where the hell are you going!? You'd better not be thinking of leaving me with this goddamned project!" Hojo shouted.  
  
"I'm going to test this Materia out." Akemi said and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Why do you have to GO and test it out?! It's easy to test it out in the Training Center!!! Have you no brain, woman?!"  
  
Akemi's eyes narrowed.   
  
"EXCUSE me! I have a brain unlike SOME people! And if you must know...erm..You're fired!"  
  
"WHAT!?" Hojo yelled.  
  
***  
  
Elena ran down the hallway of the desolate looking ShinRa hallway. Her eyes were focused on the ever  
so famous Turks Lounge.  
  
"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late...!" Elena repeated over and over as the ran. She suddenly stopped. It's 12:00PM!   
She's not late! But then again, she could be. The Turk continued to run across the hallway. Unfortunatly, Reno   
opened the door and got a little surprise.  
  
"Ooof!"  
  
Elena and Reno's heads hit making a very loud sound. Elena was the first to gain her balance and stood up  
with the help of the wall behind her.  
  
"Ow. Sorry!" Elena frowned.  
  
Reno got up and glared at Elena. Then he angerily stomped back into the room not saying a word to her.  
All he did was glare. Elena decided to glare back for some reason. Rude just blinked at the two  
'childeren'.  
  
"The President will arrive soon." That was all Rude said.  
  
"Good! So I'm not late." Elena smiled.  
  
Reno gave her a 'duh'. Which earned him a nice little death glare from the female turk. He stopped and   
turned to the door while rubbing his head. Elena felt a bit of pain rising to her's also and began to hold it.  
  
Rufus couldn't have picked a worse time to step in. He watched as the two Turks held their heads and   
yelled, cursed and shouted. Rude and Rufus were probably thinking the two were insane.  
  
"That's it." Rufus began. "You need help. PROFFESIONAL HELP!"  
  
***  
  
"So Reno, when to you think this problem started?" Rude asked in a psychiatrist-like manner.  
  
Reno said nothing to the man. He just folded his arms while glaring at Elena. The blonde Turk stuck  
her touge out at him in a childish mannor then stopped and turned her head back to the ceiling.  
  
"GODAMMIT!" Rude screamed. "WILL YOU JUST TALK!? YOU'VE WASTED 178 DAMNED MINUTES!"  
  
Rude gave Reno the same 'death glare' Elena had given him. And it had the same effect. Reno didn't do  
a thing. He just sat there, probably amazed at Rude's yelling.  
  
The bald man just glared. He wasn't a psychiatrist! He was a turk! A turk! Now he's stuck with Reno and Elena.  
He'd be an old man before the two stared talking. A thought popped into his head. He picked up a needle which   
he found on the floor and it just so happened to contain mako.  
  
"Talk." He said and pointed the needle to Reno's throat.  
  
Reno was now babbling on and on about how annoying Elena was while Elena herself was blushing and covering   
herself with one of the pillows.  
  
By the time Reno had finished Rude and Elena had fallen asleep.  
  
"HEY! I AIN'T THAT DAMN BORING!" Reno shouted.  
  
***  
  
Tifa slowly sat down on the grass of the desolate looking area she and Sephiroth watched burn down. She let  
out tears she had been holding back, but silently. She let them roll down her cheeks but she wiped them away  
when they tickled her skin.  
  
"Tifa?" Sephiroth asked.  
  
Tifa stalled for a minute then wiped her tears away with her jacket sleeve before turning to face Sephiroth.  
  
"Yes?" She asked.  
  
"Did you see who I saw?" Sephiroth asked with the little patience that remained with-in him.  
  
Tifa became interested. "I don't think so. Who did you see?"  
  
"Heidigger, Scarlet and Palmer." Sephiroth said.  
  
"W-what!? Aren't they dead?!" Tifa was full of rage. She hated Scarlet more than the entire ShinRa corperation.  
And now she would have to hear that horrible laugh of hers.  
  
"Apparently not." Sephiroth said flatly.  
  
Tifa got the feeling Sephiroth knew somthing and he was keeping it from her. Was he with ShinRa or something?   
That must be why he's being so quiet on this. Tifa frowned. But Sephiroth is always quiet like this.  
  
"Why have you been so quiet?" Tifa asked, clearly changing the subject.  
  
"That's how I am." Sephiroth said, noticing how quickly Tifa had forgotten about the burnt town.  
  
"Oh." Tifa said blankly.  
  
"You don't smile much, Sephiroth." Tifa said looking up a little at the sky noticing how dark it was getting.  
  
"...There's nothing to smile about." Sephiroth said and began to walk.  
  
"Where are you going?" Tifa asked.  
  
"You didn't want to go through Mt.Nibel alone. You're through it now and there is no reason for you to follow me." Sephiroth   
said with a hint on sadness in his voice. He noticed this and went back into his normal voice.  
  
"Goodbye." He said and began to leave.  
  
***  
  
Tifa let out a sad sigh. Why is she so upset? She just wanted someone to keep her company while going across   
Mt.Nibel. She should have known Sephiroth would have left her in the middle of nowhere. She didn't know where   
she was anymore. Rocket Town is gone. As if it never existed vanished before her very eyes. Like Sephiroth.  
  
The sky looked very beautiful. She hadn't noticed how well you could see the stars in-near Rocket Town-no not   
Rocket Town, it couldn't be Rocket Town anymore. It was just ruble now she was in nowhere. Those little dots   
in the sky were shining brightly, Tifa couldn't help but look at them. They could make her forget anything.   
Well, ALMOST anything.  
  
Everything - everyone - is gone. All because of ShinRa. Everyone she cared about is gone. Why can't somthing  
good happen to her...just once? ShinRa had made her witness her father's death which had still been bothering her.  
They burned her hometown and then tried to cover it up. Sephiroth didn't do it, it was all ShinRa.  
  
All their fault. What would they take away from her next? Her life? She wouldn't be surprised if they did. That's  
probably just the way they are. They had filled her life with despair.  
  
'Tifa...' She heard a voice. Tifa turned and looked for someone. There was no one in sight.  
  
"Hello?" Tifa asked in quite a shakey voice as she spun around everywhere.  
  
'Tifa, it's me.'  
  
"Me? Me who?" Tifa looked around.  
  
'Me, Aerith!' Aerith giggled.  
  
Tifa was awestruck. had a Aerith?! Is that really her? How can she speak? Maybe the planet is helping her or something.   
She is a part of it so that's gotta be it. Or maybe it's one of her mysterious Cetra powers.  
  
'Tifa, don't be so down.'  
  
"Why shouldn't I, Aerith?"  
  
'Tell me, Tifa. What's the reason for you being so upset?'  
  
"Well, S-I mean Cloud, Yuffie, Cid, Shera...They died in the fire."  
  
'Huh? Where'd you hear that?'  
  
"W-what!? You mean they're not-I thought -"  
  
'Nope! Alive and well! Urm, not really well - Tifa, I wanted to talk to you. Something is going to happen.'  
  
"Something good?"  
  
'Nuh-uh. Something bad. It's gonna happen to the planet. I think you should go to Midgar, to the ShinRa HQ. You can find out everything you need to know there.'  
  
"ShinRa H.Q., Huh?"  
  
'Yes. It's pretty dangerous so you don't have to-'  
  
"Aerith, I'd do anything for the planet!"  
  
'Hm, I think something's gonna happen in Junon...'  
  
"Hmmm...I'll go there. It's pretty close to Midgar."  
  
'Thank You Tifa. I have to go. Just remember something.'  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
'You can't do it alone. Bye.'  
  
"Aerith don't go-!"  
  
Tifa sighed. Aerith could have talked a little more with her. Her talking time with her was probably limited somehow.  
But neverless she would help the planet. Now, with new hope. Knowing her friends were alive.  
  
"Well, Sephiroth" She spoke to herself. "I guess I can say it dosen't feel right when you're not here...Did I just say that?"  
  
She decided to pull herself up and go find Sephiroth. He couldn't have gone too far. Tifa squinted to get a better look  
at the veiw. Sephiroth was no where in sight. She pulled her jacket around her tightly. He must be pretty fast. Tifa  
pulled out her Time magic Materia, remembering Cloud had used Haste on himself to run to Aerith when they were in the  
City of Ancients.  
  
"Well," Tifa began. "I can be fast too. HASTE."  
  
Tifa began speeding off. It felt nice to feel the wind blowing like this against her hair. A soft breeze started to blow   
trying to hold her back, in the distance she could see Sephiroth. She smiled to herself and picked up the pace.  
  
***  
  
Well, I think I've ruined Hojo's plan. Sephiroth thought then smiled. He sighed. What was he to do now?  
  
"SEPHIROTH!" The voice sounded familiar...Tifa? Is that her?!  
  
Sephiroth turned around at once and saw Tifa running his way. He was amazed at her speed, though she tripped   
when she tried to stop. Tifa blushed and pulled herelf up.  
  
"Hi." She waved and brushed some hair out of her face.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Okay, stop." Sephiroth said. He wanted to know what Tifa was doing here. "Tifa..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. You wanna know what I'm doing here. I guess it'd be dull without your company." Tifa smiled.  
  
Sephiroth raised and eyebrow. It would be dull without his company? Sephiroth rarley talked. It would be dull  
even with my company, the ex-general thought.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sephiroth asked.  
  
"Uh-Y-you may think I'm insane...But!, Aerith talked to me." Tifa said, changing the subject.  
  
Sephiroth was about to interupt her when Tifa noticed and began to speak quickly.  
  
"I think the planet helped her talk to me. She wants me to go to Midgar." Tifa said.  
  
This was hard for Sephiroth to believe. Tifa could have been hearing things but he highly doubted that. So Aerith  
was probably talking to her. Somehow.  
  
"So, why don't you go?" The silver-haired warrior asked.  
  
"She said I couldn't do it alone..." Tifa trailed off while looking down. "Sephiroth I don't know what your plan is but-"  
  
"I'll help." Sephiroth said.  
  
"Huh? Really?" Tifa looked up.  
  
"You sound so surprised." Sephiroth frowned.  
  
"No! It's just that- I wasn't sure if..."  
  
"Yeah, I know. You thought I was the 'evil villan' didn't you?" Sephiroth asked.  
  
Tifa smiled a little and nodded. A thought entered her mind, did the Highwind burn? Or does ShinRa have it?  
She didn't see it anywhere when she first saw Rocket Town. ShinRa most likely has it.   
  
She frowned. It would be very easy to reach Midgar with the Highwind but they would have to go to Junon or   
straight to Midgar. And anyways, she couldn't fly it and she doubted Sephiroth knew.  
  
"Um, Sephiroth, do you know where the Airship is?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Yes. I belive they're preparing to go to the Northern Contitent. It has something to do with materia." Sephiroth said,   
almost with worry.  
  
"Oh. - HEY! How did you know?" Tifa asked while crossing her arms.  
  
"I heard the ShinRa SOLDIER's talking while we were passing by the reactor." Sephiroth said.  
  
Oh!, Tifa thought and uncrossed her arms. They had to sneak past some SOLDIER's on their way to Rocket town. No   
wonder Sephiroth knows all about it. Tifa would have thought ShinRa's SOLDIERs would have been more catious of   
their plans.  
  
"I wonder why the Northern Contitent..." Tifa thought outloud.  
  
"Who knows."  
  
***  
  
"Mr.President!" Elena began as she looked nervously at her paniked boss. "There's a -"  
  
"I know, damnit!" Rufus shouted. "I have you Turks for my protection and I demand you protect me from that-that-..."  
  
Rufus's face was colorless and he had terror written all over his face, he was in a loss of words. He didn't have a clue   
as to what that thing was. But it thought it was sooo slick. Sneaking into his company, sneaking into his elevator,   
sneaking past his SOLDIER's, his security and his Turks!  
  
"-that midget!" Rufus shouted.  
  
***  
  
*claps and hugs reviewers* I did it! I actually did it! But I've got the evil writers-block! Hopfully I can get inspired.  
But if you wanna suggest something to me or just talk then feel free to e-mail me. Oh whatever will happen in the next  
chapter? Will Hojo loose his job? 0_o 


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